What Chicago P.D.'s Bloody Cliffhanger Means For The Season 5 Finale

Spoilers ahead for Episode 21 of Chicago P.D. Season 5, called "Allegiance."

Only one episode is left in the fifth season of Chicago P.D., and the penultimate episode made it quite clear that the show isn't going to end on a dull note. "Allegiance" concluded on a bloody cliffhanger that may result in a major character's death. After spending most of the episode struggling with the reality that he's stuck in prison, having helped Voight move that body, Olinsky was stabbed repeatedly by another prisoner and was last seen slumping to the ground, looking pretty lifeless. The attack set the stage for a lot of craziness and potential heartbreak in next week's season finale. Here's how it started.

Olinsky was arrested for Bingham's murder early in the episode, and the rest of the cops wanted to be there for him even after he was carted off to jail. Voight was understandably wracked with guilt that Olinsky was in jail for a crime that Voight committed, and he wanted to get his friend free more than anything. After trying to cut a deal with a judge that could result in the closing of the case, Voight had to watch Olinsky be denied bail and sent back to jail. It was enough to break Voight, sending him to Woods to set the record straight. Voight wanted Woods' word that Olinsky would be freed if Voight told the truth about what happened to Bingham; Woods agreed, and Voight prepared to spill his guts. Unfortunately, his guts weren't the ones in immediate danger, as Olinsky was back in prison being shanked in the belly.

All things considered, it wasn't all that shocking that something happened to poor Olinsky after being thrown in the slammer. It was no secret that he's a cop when he was taken to his cell, and the existing prisoners obviously weren't going to just accept a cop in their midst, even if that cop was a suspected murderer. A friendly guard in the jail attempted to help Olinsky out, providing him with a sandwich and trying to find a way for Olinsky to gain an edge. Sadly, the guard wasn't able to do enough to help Olinsky, and Olinsky ended up among the prisoners without the protection of the cell bars for a little bit too long. So, he was last seen bleeding potentially to death on the floor of the prison, and fans are stuck wondering what's going to happen for another week.

Really, even if there hadn't been some hinky dealings behind the scenes (potentially involving the mayor!) to land Olinsky in the clink, it was all but inevitable that Olinsky would be harmed while behind bars. Sticking a cop in general population at a prison was practically a guarantee that an attack would happen. Still, Olinsky getting stabbed repeatedly and brutally in the gut wasn't easy to watch. Why did Olinsky of all people have to go through this pain?

Now, the Season 5 finale will presumably see the stakes higher than ever after Olinsky's assault. Voight will still need to 'fess up to Bingham's murder, but he might also want to investigate what happened to Olinsky and try to get some revenge. Revenge would hardly be out of character for Voight, and he owes a lot to Olinsky. There will undoubtedly be a lot of tension among the cops in the finale as well; Antonio and Voight almost came to blows in "Allegiance" due to Voight's refusal to tell everything there was to tell about Olinsky's circumstances. Throw in the fact that there's no guarantee Olinsky will pull through, and we're in for an intense hour of television.

For a taste of what to expect, check out the trailer for the Season 5 finale of Chicago P.D.!

Olinsky obviously lives long enough to make it to a hospital; beyond that, we can only speculate as to whether or not he'll survive the finale. Tune in to NBC next Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET to see the finale for yourself. For what you can watch after Chicago P.D. is done for the season, swing by our summer TV premiere schedule and our 2018 Netflix premiere guide.